Demountable structure



Nov. 16 1926. 1,607,300

L. M. PARKER nmloUNTABLE STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 2 1925 lnwno5- 'lefizz'e JZ. Parke?" J yiorngy s UNITED STATES LESLIE M. PARKER, 01 EVANST ON', ILLINOIS.

DEM OUNTABLE STRUCTURE.

Application' filed October 2, 1925, Serial No. 60,023.

This invention relates to a demountable structure and particularly to a member for use in such a structure. It has for one ob ject to provide a member for a'demountable structure which is provided wlth several positions for attachment to other similar members whereby a greater variety of ad ustments can be accomplished with an lncreased variety of forms and shapes built without increasing the number of parts used. Other objects will appear from time to time throughout the specification and clalms.

My invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanylng drawing, wherein: 7

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a demountable structure built according to my lnvention' Figure 2 is a similar view showing a similar structure built of similar members but in which the members are joinedin diflerent positions, using different posltlons of attachment;

Figure 3 illustrates one form of the structural member;

Figure 4: illustrates in art a modified form of the structural mem er;

Figure 5 shows a union of a further modified form of such members;

Figure 6 shows a further modlficatlon;

Figure 7 shows a still further modification.

Like parts are indicated by like characters throughout.

As shown in Figure 1 the demountable structure takes the form for example of a bridge, in which A is a lon itudinal structural'member. In the form i lustrated herewith it forms part of a separable composite structural member, although it is not llmited to this feature and the parts need not be separable. 0

A A arepins or pro ections from the member A to each of which a union plate is separately'joined. This plate, consists of generally flattened portion provided with a perforation B having distlnctive marking. In the form shown in Flgure 1 1t is an arrow. The second perforation B wh1ch 'is there shown is not marked. The plate member is joined to and preferably integral with a socket portion B having a slot B. -The socket portion B is slipped over one end of the member A and the in A is engaged in .a slot 13*, thus forming with it a bayonet lock which holds the union member and the longitudinal member together. The construction of each end of the pins is identical, the form shown in Figure 3 being normally identical with all the forms, although not essentially so. It is obvious that some other form of separable attachment might be provided instead of the bayonet lock, and of course, the slot might be cut in the member A and the projection from the socket portion might be so shaped as to extend into and lock with the slot in the member. These features are not part of "the present invention and are therefore not dealt with in great detail. It is suflicient to say that the invention is not limited to the specific form of separable parts here shown;

C is a bolt by means of which the several union plates which are brought together at one joint are separably fastened together.

The modified form of union plate shown In the form shown in Figure 5 the union plate more nearly resembles that shown in Figure 3. It is provided with only two holes but the generally flat portion B is Zomewhat longer than that shown in Figure they are used in the same way.

In Figure 6 the generally fiat member E is provided with a continuous slot E which has on it preferably a number of positions marked along one side of the slot. On the opposite side of the slot there are provided graduations or markings which may be arranged to indicate any size of measurement and serve as a guide for indicating the position at which two or more co-operating union plates are to be attached. In Figure 6 the socket portion E is generally similar to that shown in the preceding figures and it is provided with a slot E.

In Figure 7 the generally flat portion F is provided with an elongated opening or slot F which has on each side a plurality of inwardly extending projections or points F F. This construction produces in efl'ect The parts are otherwise identical and a plurality of perforations each overlapping the other slightly, and for achieving accuracy in assembl eachof these perforat ons is numbered. F is a socket portion similar to that shown in the other forms of the invention and F is a locking slot.

Although I have shown an operative device, still it will be obvious that many changes might be made in size, shape and arrangement of parts without departing materially from the spirit of my invention; and I wish, therefore that my showing be taken as in a sense diagrammatic.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

lVhen the member of which the demountable structure is to be built is a separably composite member such as that shown in Figure 3, preferably when building is to take place, there is mounted on each end of each longitudinal member a union plate and the members are then assembled in a structure. If the member shown in Figure 3 is to be used, and a structure such as that shown in Figure 1 is to be formed the co-operating' ends are joined- The members will be joined as shown and the bolt C will pass through one of the holes B of each of such co-operating members. In each case the holes B will not be used, at least in forming the main structure as shown.

If a structure such as that shown in Figure 2 is to be used, in which a slight arch is desired, the upper row of members A and the angle members which are joined to them, will be assembled as before, the bolts passing through the holes B and holes B remaining unused and unoccupied, for the purpose of the main structure at least, as shown in Figure 2. In the bottom row of members A however in each case where two longitudinal members join, one hole B will be used and one hole B will be used and the bolt will thus pass through the hole B and the hole B and the effective length of the lower members will thus be shortened and the arch or archin 4 effect shown in Figure 2 will be thus pro uced.

Where the union such as the one shown in Figure 5 is used, it is possible to produce a eater degree of arching by attaching joining ends of longitudinal members so that the bolt 0 passes through both holes B and thus the effective length of the member is reduced about twice the distance between the two holes B B in any given member. By the use therefore of union members forming parts of longitudinal members, having. a plurality of attaching positons or holes, a single member having a given length can be given, for structural purposes a variety of effective lengths, because the effective length of a member is not the over! all distance of the member, but the distance between the holes in its respective union plates which are used for attachment. Thus in the member shown in Figure 3, if it is assembled in a structure in which only the holes B are used, its effective length is the distance between these two holes. If it is assembled so that only the holes B are used, its effective length is then the distance between these two holes. And if bled so that one hole B is used and at its opposite end a hole B is used, its effective length is' then the distance between these holes B and B Where the member shown in Figure 4 is used, a further flexibilit or adjustment is found by reason of the act that three axially aligned holes are used instead of two, and the provision of the holes D and D permits further flexibility by permitting lateral adjustment of the attaching'ends of the members.

In Figure 6 the member shown permits a greater flexibility or variety of adjustment than any of the members shown above because while they provide a plurality of fixed points of attachment, this is necessarily limited by the number of perforations, the form shown in Figure 6 provides within the limits of the length of the slot almost an infinite variety of possible adjustments, and therefore it provides for great flexibility of adjustment.

In the form shown in Figure 7 the variety of adjustments possible is less than that possible with the form shown in Figure 6 but is greater than that possible with any of the other forms. It has the advantage over the form shown in Figure 6 that slipping is not possible because the distance between any two adjacent points F is less than the diameter of the bolt which fastens the members together.

Speaking generally the advantage of using union members in which a plurality of possible attaching positions is provided is that with a longitudinal member of a given length there is provided in effect a plurality of longitudinal members, because each of such single longitudinal members has a plurality of effective lengths.

I claim:

1. In combination with a demountable structure, a plurality of identical members each formed with a longitudinal portion and each having at each end a union member, said union member adapted to be joined to similar union members and provided with a plurality of points for attachment to such members.

2. In combination ina demountable structure, a plurality of identical members each formed with a longitudinal portion and each having at each end a union member, said union member adapted to be 'oined to similar union members and provi ed with a plurality of marked p nts for attachment to such members. v

it is assemture,

3. In combination in a demountable struca plurality of identical members each formed with a longitudinal portion and each having at each end a union member, said union member adapted to be 'oined to similar union members and provi ed with a plurality of perforations for attachment to such members.

4. In combination in a demountable structure, a plurality of identical members each formed with a longitudinal portion and each having at each end a removable union member, said union member adapted to be joined to similar union members and provided With a plurality of points for attachment to such members.

5. A structural member formed of a 1ongitudinal member and a pair of union members, one located at each end of such longitudinal member, each of said union members provided with a plurality of marked attaching points.

6. A structural member formed of a longitudinal member and a pair of union members, one located at each end of such longitudinal member, each of said union members provided with a plurality of marked attaching perforations.

7. A composite structural member formed of a longitudinal member and a pair of separable identical union members, one located at each end of such longitudinal member, each of said union members provided with a plurality of differently marked perforations.

8. A structural member formed of a mam portion and a pair of identical end portions, one removably attached at each end of such main portion, each of such end portions provided with a plurality of attaching points, one of said points provided with a marking.

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 30th day of September 1925.

LESLIE M; PARKER. 

